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Thursday, June 27, 2013

Les Toiles du Soleil

Mini watercolor box

When Annie saw my paintbox post she moaned," I was so disappointed as a kid to get a box with just ONE row of colors. I made a mess with them". Having more colors does not necessarily help if you don't know what to do with them. It's like seasoning a dish - how much or how little you add of one color to another. Too much salt and...ahem. I bought this one-row set in Aix. When you're a paintbox junkie you gotta get your fix any which way.

In Aix I discovered Les Toiles du Soleil fabric makers. They have a shop at 101, rue du Bac and one on west 19th street in NYC but it never made a dent pre-Aix.

This place is a riot of colors and they all work beautifully together.

Textures too...

I would love to visit their factory in St Laurent de Cerdans, Perpignon. Formerly Catalan weaving it was found in 1897.

Yet the combinations look so contemporary.

More vibrant stripes on rue du cherche midi at Contesse du Barry

Round the corner from Les Toiles by a kids playground these painted bollards.

My watercolor teacher David Dewey made us paint with just ONE warm color to begin with - Burnt Sienna.

Then we got to add a cool ultramarine blue. Those exercises were drilled into us and I still fall back on them time and again.

I'm always telling people to get David Dewey's watercolor book though it's not easy at all. Lots of exercises to work out, but it's one of the best. I left my copy in NYC for some unknown reason and just reordered. The gorgeous cover alone is such an inspiration.Aix had something to do with wanting it again I think...

11 comments:

What a beautiful post:) You bought a set in Aix?:) Good girl..I only took a few watercolor classes..and one she had us do a color wheel..I kept it..lost the real one in a move..or I lent it..?And she had us use 3 colors once to get many colors.You are a wizard at this..I cannot wait to get my book..as I mentioned 3-4 months..but it will be here:) and sometimes Amazon says that and it is sooner.

Love the aquarelles!Toujours des coups de coeur.Those journals are awfully cute..were they watercolor journals?hard to find cute ones..I know cute should not matter.But it does.

Your clear, succinct, but oh so deeply connecting snapshot of both Paris and your mind is fascinating. It's as though we get to crawl in behind your eyes and see Paris again and again with you as a companion and friend! Pat

Love this - just love the posts with the swatches of color - I ordered the Dewey book because you recommended it, but still need to get it out and do the exercises! Thanks for the delightful daily bursts of life and zest and whimsy, de la belle France!Jeri Artz

Yes you must start at the first exercises - painting paper coffee cups in just ultramarine blueYou will learn A LOT!I promise. Hmmm...perhaps I should do some today too...I'll do some exercises as soon as my copy arrives in July!!

Paris Mail

♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5. I'm still at it, now tripping over cobblestones, living in a 6th-floor garret on l'Ile Saint-Louis, Paris. Read Parisbreakfast with a hot chocolate and croissant.
I paint Paris breakfasts.